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Now that the dust has settled, the whining has subsided and the conspiracy theories have been espoused and (hopefully) been put to bed -- Pogo, you were a ragin' Cajun yesterday, my man -- it's time to see how stupid and conspiratorial the Committee really was. I'm betting not very.

I heard SVP on the radio yesterday say Michigan State deserved a higher seed because Tom Izzo is gold plated in March. Say what?

Since when does a coach's pedigree have anything to do with how a team should be seeded for the tournament?This isnt about making a committee look smart. It's about taking the data available and turning it into a bracket representative of a whole season of work.

There is no eyeball test here. There is no favoring coaches with track records. Past performance is no indicator of future results.

They don't always get it exactly right -- UMass isnt a 6th seed, for example, and the Committee's love affair with the Atlantic 10 this year is borderline stalker -- but you could do worse than picking a bracket based entirely on higher seeds.

I'm betting that at least one of the slighted darlings -- MSU or Ville -- does not reach the Final 4. Sparty has the easier road, so maybe Mich. St. does make it. No one is giving Wichita any love, maybe because the Shockers likely will have to beat UK, Ville and either Michigan or Duke to reach The Jerry Dome in Arlington, Texas. I say they will.

This is the Year of Experience. They have it. They took Ville to the wire in the semifinals last year. They're better than last year; the Cards are not.

I'm not the Committee, so I can say this: Of the top 8 seeds, neither Virginia nor Villanova has the look of a champion. The ACC wasnt especially great this year. Virginia's purposeful style doesnt work well, historically, the deeper a team gets in the tournament. Ask Wisconsin.

And Villanova just lost to Seton Hall. The Wildcats benefited from a watered-down Big East, same as UC took advantage of a league without Villanova, Syracuse, West Va., etc etc.

Kansas doesnt have its center.

I like Florida's depth, experience and versatility, and its Been There coach. I like Arizona's athleticism and Sean Miller. I'm basing my bracket on the belief that Wichita State is for real, and that parity is such that wins in their league are as good in wins in any other. And I will yield to convention and say Michigan State is a Final 4 team.

I'll take any and all of your judgments here.

Now, then. . .

* UC WILL BEAT HARVARD because its seniors are just as hungry as Harvard's and, oh yeah, they're more talented. Better force-feed SK, though, make free throws and guard the 3-point line.

* XU WILL BEAT NCSTATE because they have better players, and more of them. Warren is a very nice player, but he's no better than D. McDermott, and the Wolfpack's offense is no more complex. Plus, I just keep thinking the Musketeers will put it all together and win a couple times this week. Especially if Stainbrook is mobile enough to run the floor. If only they didnt get Ville in Round 3.

* UK WILL BEAT KANSAS STATE, because it has better players. It doesnt have better players than Wichita. Of course, it only takes 40 minutes of better. . .

* OSU WILL BEAT DAYTON. The Flyers benefited from the Committee's largesse. The Buckeyes have been playing better lately. They're a darkhorse Elite 8 for me, beating UD, Western Michigan and Kansas.

Now that we have all that figured out. . .

THANKS TO MULTIPLE MOBSTERS for the Spokane tips. It sounds like an interesting place. If I have time, I wouldnt mind making the trip across to Coeur d'Alene. I'll take a camera, just in case. The weather says 48 and sunny on Friday, when I might have some down time.

American Athletic Conference (n., endangered) — a one-year embarrassment in the otherwise proud history of Louisville basketball, following the Big East era and preceding the ACC era. Somehow not even good enough to keep Rutgers. Again, Rutgers.

Craft, Aaron (n.) — semi-mythical figure who has endured in college basketball lore for decades. The first reported sighting came in 1894, when he was allegedly spotted taking a charge for the Chimney Rock Wagoneers of the New Territories Conference. Recent rumors place him as a point guard at Ohio State. Will never graduate. Or age.

NBA (n.) — professional league where 95 percent of Kentucky recruits think they're going out of high school, due to Wildcats coach John Calipari's shifty tongue, devilish charm, and elaborate, mobile sets.

NCAA (n.) — term used in anger by Kentucky players when they suit up for their first game. As in: "Wait a second … I'm playing in the f--- NCAA?"

overtime (n.) — another type of pay NCAA athletes will never receive.

yap(n.) — sound made by Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin when he yells from the sideline.

PERSONAL NOTE NOBODY CARES ABOUT but me, but it is my blog. The last time Virginia was a No. 1 seed, I covered them. It was '83, Ralph Sampson's final season. They made the Final 4 when Ralph was a sophomore, and again in '84, after he left. They lost to the Houston Olajuwons in the semis, who in turn lost the to G-town Ewings on Monday night.

Now, then. . .

* ALL YOU NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT THE REDS yesterday was that M.Leake went 4 strong innings, and J. Broxton needed just 8 pitches to get through his first spring test. Given that starting pitchers are dropping like D. McDermott jump shots, Job 1 in spring training is to get out alive. Oakland's season seems over before it began; the Braves can't be feeling special about themselves, either.

When we're talking about Reds injuries now, I dont even list S. Marshall.

* COMPELLING STORY IN THE SUNDAY TM about the large number of 20-somethings living at home, mostly because of crushing student loan debt. A 28-year-old making $50K a year is back in her old bedroom, thanks to $44k of debt accrued acquiring her MBA.

Given the endowments lots of schools enjoy, this sort of story is borderline criminal.

The best present my parents ever gave me was a debt-free graduation. We did the same for our kids. If you have a toddler, start saving now. It makes the pain less and the gratitude more, later on.

* TUNE O' THE DAY. Jillian The Magnificent, who is getting married in Summer 2015, is compiling a set list of songs she wants played at the reception. Father and Daughter (Paul Simon) is on there. So is Goodnight, My Love. I added The Way You Look Tonight. Anyway, she calls from the Metro bus this AM, to inform me she has another one. Here it is: